A government program that assists private landowners conserve working forestlands will implemented and operate in Southampton and Isle of Wight counties for the next five years.

The Virginia Department of Forestry will host meetings on the “Tomorrow Woods” program on Tuesday, April 27, in Southampton County and Wednesday, May 12, in Isle of Wight County. To reserve a seat, call 804-834-2300. The location and time of each meeting will be provided at that time.

The program allows landowners to conserve forestlands through voluntary conservation easements held by the state agency. The program will help landowners with funding incurred for easements.

In addition, funding is available management activities, including tree planting.

The goal of “Tomorrow Woods” is to improve working forestlands through management and re-establish forests on lands that have been converted to other uses, but are not longer being managed.

“We are excited about this program and its benefit to landowners and the productivity of the forests in Southeast Virginia,” said state forester Carl Garrison. “The forestland that will be conserved and improved through “Tomorrow Woods” will reap tremendous environmental and economic benefits for Virginians for generations to come.”